With former five-star QB Nico Iamaleava‘s transfer from Tennessee to UCLA now complete, it appears the Bruins have joined in on becoming a target of misplaced ridicule.
This week renowned Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke called the Bruins beggars and wrote that the whole thing stinks to Rocky Top. The idea posited by Plaschke that somehow both UCLA and Iamaleava lost in this situation is beyond absurd.
Think what you want about Iamaleava’s well-publicized departure from Tennessee – and I wholeheartedly believe there are two sides to it and the Vols are escaping this mess remarkably cleaner than they should – but whatever you think, don’t criticize the Bruins.
Trust me, UCLA will emerge from this drama as the winner.
Nico Iamaleava
© Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Transferring as a quarterback isn’t a guaranteed disaster. If anything, it could be the opposite.
Four of the six first-round NFL Draft picks in 2024 – Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix and Bo Nix – were transfers. Daniels, Penix and Nix were basically dead in the water at their old schools (Arizona State, Indiana and Auburn, respectively) before finding stardom, a Heisman Trophy and millions of dollars at their second stops.
The last three Heisman Trophy winners – Travis Hunter, Daniels and Williams – were all transfers. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Joe Burrow, three former Heisman winners and No. 1 overall picks, were going nowhere at Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Ohio State, respectively, before transferring to Oklahoma, Oklahoma and LSU and putting together some of the best careers college football has ever seen.
Why wouldn’t UCLA see if Iamaleava could create a similar path?
In UCLA coach DeShaun Foster’s first season, the Bruins rushed for four touchdowns – all year!…
Source link : https://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/rivals/news/gorney-ucla-will-emerge-from-nico-iamaleava-drama-as-the-big-winner
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Publish date : 2025-04-23 20:25:00
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